Duke of Changlochen
lcang lo can
Sonam Gyalpo
bsod nams rgyal po
Chang-lo-chen Se
Born 1898
Changlo-chen. Personal name Sonam Gyalpo. Born about 1898. Formerly held the rank of Kung (Duke), but was deprived of this rank in 1925 when and many other officials were degraded on account of an alleged conspiracy against the Tibetan Government. Has visited Gangtok to receive the second instalment of munitions for the Tibetan Government. He speaks Hindustani fluently. In October, 1932, he was sent as De-pšn on military service in Kham. He returned in 1933 and was appointed an Assistant in the Trapchi Hydro-Electric Factory under Chense Khunphe-la (the favourite of the Dalai Lama). He was appointed Gar-pšn in Western Tibet in 1933 but did not proceed to his post and sent a servant to do the work in his place. Acted as a guide to Mr. Williamson on his visit to Tibet in 1933, no doubt partly because he had been to India in 1924. After the death of the Dalai Lama he allied himself with Lungshar, was arrested after latter's May 'plot' had failed and was banished in 1934 to Kongbo, in Southern Tibet, where he fled in the autumn, 1937, to India via Tawang and Bhutan in company with Kunphe-la. As he is intelligent, able and fairly young he may return to Lhasa and again be given Government servic [1938]. At present resides in Kalimpong [1942]. Returned to Lhasa in 1948, having been permitted by the Tibetan Government to do so. Appointed Teacher in the Tibetan Language School for Chinese officers in January, 1952. Remoted as an official and given the rank of Theiji in March, 1953, as an Officer of the Grain Procurement Board.
Page references from Who's Who in Tibet
1933 (page 11) 1938 (page 10) 1942 (page 2) 1945 (page 10) 1949 (page 17)
This entry is from "Who Was Who in Tibet?" Copyright Frank Drauschke, Facts & Files, Berlin
